Mixing apparatus



May 10, 19358. RQJ. STEWART MIXING4 APPARATUS Filed `Dec. 6, 1935 1o sheets-sheet 1 May 10, 19,38-l 4 R. J. STEWART Y 2,117,226

MIXING APPARATUS `illllllllllll j y l Y-lll Nw May 10, 1938. R. J. STEWART V 2,117,225

MIXING APPARATUS l 2 Filed Deo. 6, 1935 l0 Sheets-Sheet 3 May l0, 1938. R'. J. STEWART 12,117,223 MIXING. APPARATUS,

Filed nea.` 6, 1'935 1o4 sheets-sheet 4 May l0, 1938. Y R. J. STEWART `v MIXING APPARATUS Fl'ed Dec. 6. 1935 l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 10, 1938. R. J. STEWART l 2,117,226

' MIXING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 6, 1935` l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 May 1o, 1931s. n.1. STEWART 2,117,226

f 11mm; APPARATUS Filed Das. e, 1935 1o sheets-sheet v May 10, 1938.. R. J. STEWART MIXING APPARATUS Filed nec. e'. 193s l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 May 10 1938. R. '.1. STEWART MIXING APPARATUS Filed Dec. e, 1935 l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 May 10, 1938. R. J. STEWART MIXING APPARATUS Fim; nec. s. 1935 1o sheets-sham 1o @ma JSQa/Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MIXING APPARATUS Robert J. Stewart, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Crown Cork & 'Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of New York Application Decmber 61935, Serial No. 53,231

Claims.

This invention is a mixing apparatus and, more particularly, an apparatus for agitating bottles filed with beverages such as soft drinks to mix the syrup and Water forming the'contents of the bottle.

In the operation of filling machines used in bottling beverages such as soft drinks, a predetermined amount of syrup is placed in a bottle or other container to be filled and water lis then placed, in the bottle to complete its filling. If the beverage is carbonated liquid, the water contains carbon dioxide gas and is flowed very quietly into the bottle in order to enable the bottleto be filled without foaming. 'I'he slow rate of fiow of the water causes it to settlel upon the strata of syrup in the bottom of the bottle instead of mixing with the latter, and the result is that when filled bottles leave the filling machine, after being capped, the syrup andwater are not mixed but entirely separate in the bottle.

At the present time, the syrup and water in the bottle are ordinarily mixed by an attendant who removes the bottles from the lling machine and places them in bottle cases for shipment and sale. The operatorusually accomplishes this manual mixing ashe removes bottles from the filling machine by grasping a pair of filled bottles in each hand and quickly turning his hands several times so that the bottles will be swung or oscillated through an arc-of substantially 180.

The mixing obtained by the practice described above is hastily performed, since the operator must keep pace with the operation of the lling machine.

If the syrup and water are `not completely mixed, the beverage in the upper portion of the bottle is not fully flavored, while the beverage in the lower portion will contain more than its proper proportion of the syrup. Such a condition results in complaints from consumers who, after tasting the weakly flavored upper portion of thecontents of the bottle, are led to believe that the entire content of the bottle is not fully lflavored.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an' apparatus which will thoroughly mix thel contentsof bottles and thereby insure that thel beverage therein will be of a vproper and uniform flavor throughout.

The apparatus of the present invention moves the bottles in a predetermined path and simultaneously tilts and uprights them, repeatedly preferably by an end over end turning movement, in a plane substantially radial with respect to o that path. Byvthis arrangement the liquid in the bottle is moved from end to end and mixed by the movement of the bottle in the radial plane and is also further agitated or mixed, during this fiow,-by the forward movement of the bottle along its path. l Another very important object ofthe inven tion is to provide an apparatus for mixing bottled beverages which is so constructed that it will occupy a relatively small amount of floor space.

Another important object of the nventionis to provide a mixing machine which will keep pace with the production of the usual filling machine and Without necessitating any varying of the linear speed of the bottles passing through the machines.

The mixing machine oi the present invention is so designed that the linear speed of the bottles moving onto the rotary table thereof will not be varied to any considerable extent, thereby avoid- Iing breakage and noise. Because of the manner in which the bottles are moved to mix their contents during their travel with the rotary table, each bottle will occupy a relativelyy small amount of the space about the circumference of the table. Furthermore, the movement` of the respective bottles with regard to each other is so arranged that there will be no possibility of lbottles of even the larger standard sizes coming into contact with each other during the operation of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mixing machine which may be readily adjusted to accommodate bottles of all standard sizes.

-A `still further object of the invention is to provide a mixing machine which is designed to permit it to be associated `with other macliines customarily used in bottling plants and more particularly to enable it to receive bottles from a filling machine in properly timed sequence.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specication and drawings wherein like numerals refer to similar' parts throughout the 'several views: y

Figure 1 is 'a horizontal sectional view showing the casing, stationary table, and rotary table of the machineI in plan;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, some of the bottle sup- 50 porting platforms being shown broke r i away;

.Figure 3 is a horizontal sectionei view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; a

Figure 4 is a detailed vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 and showing a bottle 55 supporting element positioned adjacent the stationary table of the machine;

Figure 5 is va. detailed horizontal sectional view showing the gearing for turning the bottle supporting elements of the machine;

Figure 6 is a detailed-vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detailed horizontal sectional View taken on the line 1-1'of` Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a detailed view, partly in front elevation and partly in vertical' section, showing a bottle supporting element andthe camL mechanism for controlling the same during its movement adjacent the stationary table of the machine.

Figure 9 is a detailed view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, showing a bottle supporting element and a portion of the mechanism for controlling the position of the same during its movement adjacent the stationary table of the machine; l

Figure 10 is a detailed view showing an eccentric bolt used for adjusting the position of a bottle supporting element;

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the turning movements of the bottle supporting elements while moving with the rotary table;

Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional view through the casing of the machine showing a modified arrangement of driving gearing which may be used; l

Figure 13 is a front view of the stationary table of a machine provided with the drive mechanism including a stationary table 2| in which an endless conveyor 22 moves, the endless conveyor delivering bottles to an infeed'dial 23. The infeed dial 23 moves the bottles from the endless conveyor 22 and positions them upon bottle supporting elements or platforms 24, each mounted for turning movement in a vertical plane in one of a number of posts 25 fixed to a table 26, which is continuously rotated about a vertical axis. During the rotation of the table 26, the bottles are repeatedly tilted and uprighted, preferably by being' turned end over end, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2, to thoroughly mix their contents and they are then delivered to an outfeed dial 21 which removes the bottles from the bottle supporting platforms 24 and moves them toward an accumulating 'table 28. -If desired the bottle may be positioned bythe outfeed dial 21 .upon a second endless conveyor for movement to another machine, for example, a labeling machine.

V'I'he movements of the bottles with the dials 23 and 21 are aided by a guide member 21a positioned between the dials.

Mechanisms 22a may be provided adjacent the conveyor 22 and acacent the path of movement of bottles leaving the outfeed dial 21 to stop the operation of the machine if bottles become jammed at these points. A mechanism 23a may also be provided in advance of the infeed dial 23 to insure that the bottles will be moved to this dial in properly spaced relation.

As is-best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the casing 20 comprises a lowei` portion including a. base extending shelf 39.

, lQwer wall 3|, a front wall 32 and side Walls 33, |;11e.z 'fr y v edges of the side walls 33 being joined by an arcuate wall 34 which encloses the rear portion of the casing. The top of the front of the lower portion 30 of the casing 20 is covered by a horizontal wall 35, the remainder of the lower portion 30 being covered by an apron-like covering 36 extending inwardly from the circular side wall 34 and to the horizontal wall 35. A front vertical Wall 31 extends upwardly from the horizontal wall 35, the vertical wall 31 carrying -the fixed table 2| upon its upper edge. Side walls 38 project rearwardly from the opposite edges of the front wall 31 to further assist in the support of the stationary table 2i and these walls are joined, beneath the stationary table 2 I, by a transversely An electric motor 45 is preferably mounted in spaced slideways 46 secured vto the base 3|. A reduction gear apparatus 41 is fixed to the base 3| adjacent the motor 45 and is driven from the motor by a suitable driving belt or chain 45a. The tension exerted upon the driving belt or chain may be adjusted by means of an adjusting screw 48 extending through the side wall 33, which screw varies the position of the motor 45, in the slideways 46 and with respect to the reduction gearing 41.

rI'he reduction gear device 41 is provided with a vertical shaft having a pinion 49 fixed to its upper end, thisy pinion engaging a large pinion 50 fixed to a sleeve 5| which is rotatably mounted upon a. post 52 fixed against rotation in a standard 53 mounted on the base 3| of the casing 20 and substantially concentric with the arcuate wall 34 of the` lower portion of the casing 20.

Both the post 52 and the sleeve 5| extend upwardly above the apron 36, the portion of the sleeve below the apron being centered in antifriction bearings provided in a depending tubular bracket 54 carried by the apron. The sleeve 5| is provided, adjacent its upper end, with a circumferential flange 55 which rests upon roller bearings supported by the apron 36. The rotary table 26` of the machine is bolted to the flange 55.

As is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the large gear 50 meshes with gears 60 and 6| fixed to vertical shafts 62 and B3, respectively, which shafts are journaled in bearings 64 xed to the front wall 31 of the casing. Asshown in Figure 1, the shaft 52 carries the infeed dial 23 at its upper end and above .the surface of the table 2|. The shaft 63 carries the outfeed dial 21. Figure 4 illustrates how the dials are removably and adjustably h eld by removable pins 21a upon co1- lars 65 fixed to the vertical shafts.

The means for driving conveyor 22 will be hereinafter described in connection with the modified form of drive shown in Figures 12 and I3.`

The posts'25 (Figures 1 and 2) are secured to the rotary table 26 adjacent the periphery thereof equidistantly circumferentially spaced, and, in the present embodiment of the invention, twelve such posts are provided. Each post 25 (Figure 8) has a base 1D at its lower end which is bolted to the'table 26 and, at its upper end, includes a head 1| in which is journaled a horizontal stub shaft 12, one end ofthe stub shaft projecting from the head and having a bottle supporting element or platform 24, fixed thereto. The stub shaft 12 has a bevel gear 13 keyed upon it, which gear meshes vwith a bevel gear 14 fixed to the upper endggt ,a vertical shaft 15 journaled in the he head l1| and, adjacent its lower ina gedhap ture 16 in the table 26. Each shaft 15 is'provided at its lower end and beneath the table 26 with a pinion 11 which meshes with a large stationary gear 18 fixed upon the apron 26 of the casing `28 (see Figure 2). v

It will be noted that the above mounting of each horizontal stub shaft 12 positions the axis of each such shaft in a plane substantially transverse to a line extending radially of the rotary table 26.

By the form of bottle supporting element movement controlling means shown in Figures 5 to 9, the pinions 11 are operably connected to the vertical shafts 15 by means of a clutch structure 19 positioned upon each shaft 15 and which will be hereinafter described in detail. 19 upon a given vertical shaft 15 is in engaged position, the movement of the pinion 11 thereon with the rotaryv table 26 and about the fixed gear 18 will result in rotation of that shaft 15 and the bottle supporting platform 24 with,

which it is connected. With the table 26 turning in a clockwise direction, Figure 1`, each bottle supporting platform will rotate as indicated in Figure 2, turning the bottle carried thereby end over end and thus the bottle is repeatedly tilted and uprighted. During the movement of a bottle supporting platform adjacent the fixed table 2|, the clutch 29 of such platform will be disengaged and the platform will remain upright and stationary with respect to the table 26, as shown in `Figure 4 and at the left of Figure 2, so that bottles may be moved on or off the same.

As shown in Figures 4 and 8, each bottle supporting platform 24 comprises a body portion 88 and an integral shelf or platform 8|, the platform 8| being adapted to support a bottle. In

order to clamp a bottle upon the platform 8| of each bottle supporting platform, a clamping head 82 is provided upon a vertical plunger or stem 83 slidably mounted in a bore 84 (Figure 4) in the body portion of the platform. The plunger 83 has a, collar 85 fixed toits lower or outer end, which collar is bifur'cated at its lower portion and there carries a roller 86. A coil spring 86 is positioned in the bore 84 of the body portion, one end of the spring .bearing against the upper or inner end of the bore and the other end bearing upon the collar 85, tending to force the 'plunger 83- andclamping head 82 downwardly with respect to l'It' the base portion 8| of the bottle supporting platform. i

The clamping head 82 is in the form of an arm provided at its inner end with a `split collar 89,

the split collar permitting the head to be vertically adjusted upon the plunger 83 and clamped in position by means of a transverse bolt 98. Various adjustedipositions of they head, corresponding to various sizes of bottles, are indicated in Figures 4 and 8. The clamping head 82 carries a resilient disc 9| in its outer end, which disc is intended to contact with the cap upon theV bottle to clamp the latterupon the platform 24. The wall of the head about the disc 9| is tapered as shown in Figure 4 to guide the bottle' into proper alignment with the disc.

Throughout the portion of the movement of the rotary table 26 during which the 4bottle supporting platforms are turned, the clamping head 82 will bear upon the head of the bottle due to the action of the coilspring 81. During the interval when a .bottle supporting platform 24 is adjacent the stationary table 2|, the roller 86 of the platform will bear upon an arcuate cam 95 provided on the outer edge of a sector 96,'which sector is fixed to the upper end of the post 52.

When the clutch ,be moved out of the notch |2I.

The movement of the rollers 86 across the cam 95 will hold them upwardly as shown in Figure 4, maintaining the clamping heads 82 in upward position so that a bottle may be removed from the platform bythe outfeeddial 21 and another bottle positioned thereupon by the infeed dial 23.

As has been stated above, in order to cause the bottle supporting platforms to remain horizontal and with respect to their posts 25 during the interval when they are adjacent the fixed table 2| and to cause them to turn while away from the fixed table, `a clutch mechanism 19 is provided `on each vertical shaft 15. Broadly speaking, this clutch comprises elements xed to each pinion 11 and elements fixed to each vertical shaft 15. When these elements are locked together by a clutch bolt H6, the rotation of the pinion 11 will rotate the shaft 15 to revolve the bottle supporting platform driven by the latter. When a clutch is disengaged, its pinion 11 will continue to rotate, but the corresponding shaft 15 and bottle supporting platform will remain stationary.V

The clutch mechanism is best shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9 and, as is illustrated in these figures, the pinion 11 is mounted about a bushing on the shaft 15 and rests upon a disc |86 including a downwardly extending hub |81, which hub is keyedy to the shaft 15 at |88 and held in proper position` therein by a pin |89.

The disc |86 is provided with a 4depending upwardly proJecting flange ||2 about its outer edge. Abase plate ||3 of disc form and inange i8 about its periphery and the upper surcluding an upwardly projecting hub ||3a is posi- I tioned about the hub |81 and against the lower surface of .the guide ring the hub ||3a of the base plate projecting upwardly within the inner edge of the guide ring The base plate H3 and guide ring are secured-to the undersurface 'of the pinion 11 by means of circumferentially spaced bolts ||4. l

A radially extendingcut-out or slideway l|5 is provided in each guide ring` I, the lower side of this slideway being closed by the base plate Ill and its upper side being bridged by the flange ||2 of guide ring A clutch bolt H6 ispositioned in the `slideway ||5, the bolt ||6 having a longitudinal bore ||1 therein opening from its inner end and in which a coil spring I|8 is positioned.4 The inner end of the coil spring is seated in a socket ||9 in the `hub ||3a of the basev plate ||3. The clutch bolt is also ,provided with an upwardly extending shoulder |28, which shoulder is seated in a notch I2| on the inner surface of the flange ||8 of the disc |88 when a.

, bottle supporting platform 24 is moving with the `rotary table 26 out of proximity to the fixed table 2|. .4.

As best shown in Figures 'I and 9, one side wall |28 of each clutch bolt ||6 is inclined and the notch |2| is similarly formed, this inclination permitting the bolt to readily vslide into thenotch.

A mp block |25 (Figures 5 and 9) is nxed to above that when the shoulder of a clutchl bolt IIS is seated in the notch I 2| of a disc |06 xed to a shaft 15, the pinion 11 and shaft 15 and the bottle supporting platform rotated by the latter will turn together, while when a clutch bolt shoulder |20 is merely sliding about upon the' inner wall of a disc |06, the shaft 15 and the bottle supporting platform controlled thereby will remain stationary.

The trip block is so positioned (Figure 5) that a clutch bolt II6 will make contact therewith to release the corresponding clutch 19 just prior to the movement of a bottle supporting platform adjacent to the xed table 2|. Since a bottle supporting platform will be free from its pinion 11 after the release of' the clutch bolt, the platform would ordinarily be free to swing 'and seek its center of gravity after the release of the clutch bolt. In order to insure that the platforms will be in horizontal position and maintain the bottles upright when moving past the xed. table 2|, a substantially arcuate cam track |40 is provided on the xed sector 96, this cam track being shown in Figures 1,'2, 4, 8 and 9, the -latter figure showing the entrance end I.4| of the cam track and a bottle supporting platform in the position which it will occupy at the moment that its clutch bolt I I6 is released.

The cam track |40 will be engaged by a guide roller |42 rotatable upon a stud |43 xed in an l aperture v|44 of an arm |45 extending rearwardly from the lower inner end of the body portion 80 vof each bottle supporting platform. As best shown in Figure 4, the peripheral surfaces of the guide rollers |42 are arcuate in cross section and are thus substantially ball-shaped. y

The cam track |40 includes inner and outer walls |46 and |41, respectively, and, as best shown in Figures 1 and 8, the cam track is curved outwardly at its entrance end I4| and the upper surfaces of the walls |46 and |41 are downwardly and outwardly inclined at the entrance end. The exit end |48 ofthe cam track is curved inwardly and the upper surface of the outer wall |41 is upwardly inclined, the inner wall |46 terminating short of the outer wall.

- As shown in Figure 9, at the instant thatthe trip block |25 releases the clutch bolt ||6 of a bottle supporting platform 24, the guide roller |42 of that platform will be moving inwardly into the entrance end 4I of the cam track |40, because the lower end of the bottle supporting platform will be swinging inwardly toward the axis ofthe rotary table 26. The guide roller |42 being in guided engagement with the cam track |40 willA prevent the bottle supporting platform from swinging except as controlledv by the cam track.

The ball shape of the guide roller will permit it to enter and properly engage the cam track although its axis of rotation is not vertical at the -moment it enters the entrance end.

' The cam track |40vis so designed that the engagement of the guided roller |42 therewith will hold the bottle supporting platforms horizontal and ush with respect to the fixed table 2| during .the movement of the platforms past the table and a bottle may be removed from a; platform and a new one positioned on the platform bythe dials.

The exit end |48 of the cam track will cause 7 5 the lower ends of the bottle supporting platforms to be swung inwardly and upwardly by the engagement of their guiding rollers |42 with the inwardly curved and upwardly extending outer wall I 41 of the cam track at this point. Before a guide4 roller |42 has entirely moved out of the exit end of the cam track, the corresponding clutch bolt ||6 will again be in engaged position so that the subsequent turning movements of the bottle supporting platform will be controlledby its pinion 11.

In order to permit the base 83 of each bottle supporting platform to be so adjusted that itV will be exactly flush with the stationary table 2| when moving past the latter, the lowervportion |49 of each stud |43 is eccentric with respect to the portion |50 of the stud which is positioned in the aperture |44 of the arm |45. By this arrangement, with a bottle supporting platform positioned to have its guide roller in the cam track |40, its roller carrying stud |43 may be loosened by unthreading movement of the nut |5I pron vided at its upper end, and the stud maythen be turned to vary the radial position of the eccentric portion |49 with respect tc the aperture in the arm |45. The guide roller |42 being positioned in the cam track, the bottle supporting platform willbe swung upon its post 25 to raise or lower the outer edge of the base 8| with respect to the stationary table 2|. 'Ihe portion |50 of the stud |43 may have circumferentially spaced flattened portions |52 provided thereon against whichv the inner end of a set screw |53 threaded in the arm |45 is adapted to bear to hold the stud in properly adjusted position.

Because of vthe close spacing of the' posts 25 with respect to each othe the bottle supporting platforms 24 journalled therein would strike against each other lfveach platform were in the same position Vin its respective path of turning movement at the same instant. In order to prevent the platforms from striking, they are so arranged that during the rotation of the platform, any given platform will be in a position in its path of rotation upon its post 25, 120 ahead of the next succeeding platform. The necessity for this arrangement will be obvious from the showing of Figure l wherein the angled dotted line Y indicates the space through which one bottle sup porting platform willpass and the angled dotted line Z indicates the^ path through which the next succeeding bottle platform will pass. As is obvious from this showing, the two paths of vmovement overlap when the bottle supporting platforms areat their inner horizontal position.

'I'he above arrangement of having adjacent bottle platforms spaced apart at-different angular phases in their paths of rotary movements with respect to their posts 25 permits the rotary table 26 to be of minimum diameter, thereby insuring that the machine will occupy a minimum amount of oor space and that the linear speed of the bottles will not be unduly increased daring their movement upon the rotary table.

Figure 12 shows a modified form of drive mechanism for the machine including a motor 45' which drives a gear reducing unit 41' by means of abelt h.' The gear reducing unit includes a vertical shaft 49" carrying a pinion 49' which meshes with a pinion 49h upon a vertical shaft 49e journaled in the horizontal wall -35 of the casing.' Pinion 49h alsomeshes with a large gear machine and with a pinion 6| fixed to the shaft 63' carrying the outfeed dial. By the above arrangement, the large gear 50' which rotates the rotary table maybe of smaller size than the gear 5U disclosed in Figure 3 and the drive of the machine is somewhat more centralized, permitting the casing of the machine to be correspondingly reduced in size. The operation of the machine will be the same regardless of whether the driving mechanism disclosed in Figure `3 orthat shown in Figures 12 and 13 is used.

Figure 13 shows the manner of driving the infeed conveyor 22 from the vertical outfeed dial shaft 63' of Figure 12. Since the drive of Figures 1 to 3 includes an outfeed dial shaft 63 exactly corresponding to shaft 63 of Figures 12 and 13,

the infeed conveyor used in Figures 1 to 3 may be driven in the same manner as that described below and the conveyor driving mechanism -is shown in plan, in dotted'lines, in Figure 1.

Shaft 63 has a mitre gear |60 fixed thereto, which gear meshes with a mitre gear |6| fixed to a horizontal stub shaft |62. Shaft |62 carries a sprocket |63, an overload release clutch |64 (Figure 1)l being provided between/the sprocket and its shaft. A drive chain |65 engaging the sprocket |63 rotates a sprocket |66 fixed to a con-- veyor drive shaft |61 about which the conveyor 22 moves. i

.If the bottles passing through the outfeed dial be removed and an outfeed conveyor driven by the labeling o r other machine will move in the space |68, this conveyor passing about an idler sprocket |19 (Figure 13) carried on a horizontal stub shaft |1| which may be suitably journaled at the inner end of the space |68, The bottles moving from the outfeed dial 21.will then be positioned upon the outfeed conveyor and conduct ed from the machine by the latter.

In bottling plants, it is usual to soarrange the infeed c'onveyor of a machine that it will be driven by that machine. VAs shown in Figures 1 and 13, the infeed conveyor 22 merely delivers bottles to the infeed dial 23 and the movement of this conveyor will be accurately timed with respect to the-movement of the infeed dial and the operation of the machine. I

.By having any outfeed conveyor used with the present machine arranged to be driven from the machine to which it conducts the bottles, the necessity of an extended outfeed conveyor driving mechanism is eliminated in the present ma- It is highly desirable that whatever conveyor is chine and the drive of the conveyor to the next machine will be timedA with the latter machine.

used to conduct bottles from the present machine to another machine should be timed with the latter machine rather than with the present machine.

Obviously, the provision of a space for a conveyor from the present machine to a machine receiving bottles therefrom, permits any well known type of conveyor to be readily 'connected to the present machine for outfeed purposes.

The present conveyor arrangement is also more practical than any construction wherein a single conveyor is used to move bottles into the machine and to also move them from it to another machine, because when a single conveyor driven face of the stationary table 2|.

The operation of a. machine of my invention including the bottle supporting element movement controlling means disclosed in detail in Figures 5 to 9 is as follows:

Any one of the bottle supporting platforms 2l l will rotate to turn or revolve the bottle thereon end over' end in a plane substantially radial with respect to rotary table 26,-during three-fourths of the path of movement of the bottle supporting platform with the rotary table. In otherv words,

during the major portion of the movement of botl ties with the rotary table 26. the bottles will be repeatedly tilted 'and uprighted, preferably by being turned end over end, and on axes substantially transverse to planes radial with respect to the table 26, the bottles thus moving in planes substantially radial with respect to the rotary table. During the remaining one quarter of the movement of a bottle platform, that isduring the portion of its movement when it is adjacentthe stationary table 2|, the bottle supporting platform will be horizontal to receive and discharge bottles in upright position, and the bottle carryingshelf 8| will be flush with the sur- This operation is attainedby reason of the fact that the pinion 11 at the lower end of the vertical shaft 15 of each bottle supporting platform is so geared with respect to the large stationary gear 18 that each shaft 15 andthe bottle `supporting platform opv erated thereby will make four complete revolutions while moving entirely about the large stationary gear 15. .During three of these revolutions, the clutch 19 of abottle supporting platform will be engaged so that rotation of its pinion 11 will be transmitted directly to the shaft 15 to rotate that bottle supporting platform. At the moment when the three revolutions of the pinion 11 have been completed and thebottle carried by the bottle supporting .platform has thus been revolved or turned end over end three times, the outer end of the clutch bolt |16 of the clutch 19 beneath the pinion 11 of that bottle supporting platform will `wipe against the trip blockl |25 xed to the apron 36 of the casing of the machine as best shown in Figures 7 and 9. The clutch ,bolt ||6 will make a wiping contact with the block |25 by reason of the fact that the pinion 11 and clutch mechanism 18 are, at this moment, rotating together in a clockwise direction and bodily moving in a direction of the arrows W of Figures 1, 5, 7 and 9. l

'I'he block |25 will press the clutch bolt ||6 inwardly in the4 slideway |I5, as shown in Figure 9 and in position L in Figure 5, against the action of the spring ||8, and will hold the bolt ||6 in the inward position illustrated in Figure 9 for a very short interval of time, during which interval the pinion 11 to which the guide ring and base plate ||3 are xed will continue to rotate be- *cause of the intermeshing of the pinion 11 with the xed gear 18. Since the ring and base plate ||3 are fixed to the pinion 11 `and because these two elements guide and carry the clutch bolt, the rotation of the pinion 11 will cause the shoulder |20 onbolt ||6 to move out of radial block |25, the spring can only force the shoulder |20 of the clutch bolt against the inner surface of the ange H0 on the disc |06. The shaft i and its bottle platform 24, being discon nected from the pinion l1, will cease to rotate while the pinion Ti and plates I|| and H3 will continue to rotate, moving the clutch bolt H0 about with the clutch bolt shoulder sliding on the inner surface of the flange I0 as indicated at positions M, A and B of Figure 5. As will be noted from this latter figure, the pinion 'il will make one complete revolution free of driving connection with the disc |06 and the vertical shaft 'i5 to which the latter is fixed, the rotation continuing until the shoulder |20 -on the clutch boltagain comes into alignment with the notch |2| in the` disc |05. At position B in Figure 5,

the clutch bolt ||6 is almost in position to move outwardly and into the notch B2i.

Beforethe clutch bolt |||i of a platform 2d has been moved inwardly by the trip block |25, the guide roller |52 of that platform will be in the cam track |60, as shown in Figure 9, so that the platform will be held in upright position while moving past the stationary table 2i. Also, the clamping head 82 of the bottle supporting platform will be raised as 'shown in Figure 4 by reason of the engagement of the roller 8G 'with the cam 95, permitting the bottle which has been moved upon the platform 24 to. be removed by the outfeed dial 2 and a new bottle positioned thereon by the'infeed dial 23. While the platform is still in upright and clutch disengaged position, the roller 85 will move oi the cam 95 and the clamping head E2 will move downwardly to clamping position upon the newly inserted bottle. l

It will be noted that the cam 05 is raised above thecam track H30 so that the rollers 86 will not project downwardly sufficiently far to strike the cam track M0. y f

The alignment of the clutch bolt I i6 of a bottle supporting platform with the cooperating notch |2| will occur while the guide roller |42 of a bottle supporting platform is still in engagement with the exit end of the cam track |130 and, by this arrangement, there will be no interval during which the bottle supporting platform is free to swing without its movement being controlled by either the cam track m0 or the pinion 11. -When a clutch bolt comes into alignment with the notch |2|, the spring `H8 will force the clutch bolt ||6 outwardly into the notch and the pinion l1 will immediately be locked to the shaft I5 to rotate that bottle supporting platform.

Figure 11 diagrammatically illustrates the relative positions of the bottle supporting platforms during their movement with the table, each view being taken looking in a direction clockwise of Figure 1 and at a tangent to the rotary table 26. At the position indicated by the numeral I a bottle platform is shown in the position it occupies with respect to its post 25 while at the position A in Figures 1 'and 5 when the bottle is being positioned upon the platform and ywhile its clamping head 22 is raised. The platform shown in position II in Figure 11 substantially corresponds to the platform indicated at B in Figures 1 and 5 and is still in upright position but its clamping head 02 has been lowered upon the bottle. the respective platforms are shown in various positions which they will occupy relative totheir respective posts 25, at a given moment, it being In positions III to X of Figure 11,

noted that each platform is 120, in its turning movement onits post 25, in advance of the next succeeding platform.

The platform illustrated at position XI in Figl ure 11 is swinging downwardly to uprightA position and the clutch bolt ||6 of its clutch 'I8 is about to move into wiping contactwith the trip |25 beneath the stationary gear 18. The bottle supporting platform shown at position XII is in upright position, its clutch being disengaged. The bottle platform shown in position XII in Figure 11 substantially corresponds to the platform at position M in Figuresl and 5.

It will be noted that while the bottles are being repeatedly tilted and uprighted by being feed dial 21, their contents are constantly agitated, since the bottles have'imparted thereto a movement which is continuous in the sense that during substantially no portion oi' the time that Athe bottles are on the table are their contents in a state of rest. In other words, the bottle contents are constantly agitated from a time shortly after the bottles are received by the table until they come adjacent the outfeed dial 21, and thus throughout the greater portion .of the table movement, the bottle contents are constantly and uninterruptedly agitated.

Figures 14 and l5 show a modified arrangement for controlling the movement of the bottle supporting elements. {The construction illustrated in these two figures comprises a fixed circular rack or gear element 18a supported upon the fixed tubular bracket 54 and held fixed to bracket 54| by pins or bolts or other securing means as indicated at 54a. The fixed gear or rack 18a is provided with 4a toothed or driving portion extending aboutthe major portion of its periphery and a non-toothed or non-driving' portion |0| extending about the remaining portion of its periphery, which latter is the portion adjacent the stationary table 2| of the machine.v l

The shaft l5 of each bottle supporting element is provided with a pinion 11a keyed to the shaft by -a key |82, the pinion being supported upon the shaft by a collar |03 suitably fixed to the shaft, the clutch structure 19 being eliminated in the construction shown in Figures 14 and 15.

By the arrangement disclosed in Figures 14 and 15, as each pinion 11a is moved about the toothed or drivingvportion |80 of xed gear 18a, the pinion Tia will be rotated, causing its bottle supporting element to be turned in the manner described in connection with Figures 1 to 1l. When a pinionl 'Ha reaches the position indicated at L in Figure 14, its teeth will move out of engagement with the teeth of the xed gear 10a and its shaft l5 will thereupon cease to rotate. At the same moment, the corresponding guide roller |42 will move into the entrance end |4| of the cam track |40, holding the bottle supporting element stationary and flush with the surface of the stationary table of the machine. After a bottle has beenremoved from the bottle supporting element 24 and another bottle placed upon that element, the continued movement oi' u the bottle supporting element and the pinion 11a operatively connected thereto with the table 26 will bring the pinion 11a in engagement with the leading end |85 of the toothed portion |80 of gear 18a so that the bottle supportingelement will again be turned by positive driving action as its guide roller |42 leaves the exit end |48 of the cam track |40. In order to facilitate reengagement of the teeth of the pinions 11a with the teeth of the gear 18a, the rear corner of the rst .tooth |86 at the entrance end |85 is slightly `sheared as indicated in Figure 14. Also, the tooth |81 of each pinion 11a which will always be in position to engage behind tooth |86 is slightly cut-away so 'that it will readily pass the sheared tooth |86 and into engagement with the toothed portion |80.

The modification disclosed in-Figures 14 and 15 provides a positive drive for the bottle supporting elements which will cause these elements to be operated in a manner identical with that described in connection with Figures 1 to 11 and without the use of a clutch structure 19.

The mechanism 23a provided in advance of the infeed dial 23 to insure that bottles Will be fed thereto in properly spaced relation, is identical with that disclosed in the Patent No. 2,013,- 144, September 3, 1935, of Wiltie I. Gladfelter, Bottle capping machines.

'I'he mechanisms 22a for stopping the operation of the machine in the event that bottles become jammed in advance of the infeed dial 23 or at theoutfeed dial 21 are also identical with the corresponding structures disclosed in the above mentioned Gladfelter application, except that the present devices include an electric switch |15 including'an operating plunger |16, this operating plunger beingt adapted to be moved inwardly to open an electric switch and the circuit to the motor of the machine, upon inward movement of thelevers |11 on their respective pivots when bottles become jammed opposite either lever. The operation ofy the present devices is therefore identical with that of the devices disclosed in the Gladfelter patent except that they control electric circuits instead of fluid pressure lines as is the case in `the Gladfelter patent. The use of electric switches at these devices as in the present structure permits the entire machine to.

be operated and controlled by electric means and eliminates the necessity of supplying compressed air or other compressed fluid to the machine. This application is a continuation-in-part of an earlier led application Serial No. 714,727, iiled March 8, 1934.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details-of construction shown in the drawings and that the example of the use `of the machine which has been given does not include all of `the uses of which it is capable, and

that the phraseology employed in the speciiicalimitation.

- tion is for the purpose of description and not of transverse to the path oi'movement of said member, and means to move said member and said container supporting means.

2. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, means to support a container upon said rotary member and means to rotate said supporting means and container end over end in a plane substantially radial with respect vto said rotary member.

3. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising means to support a container and move the same in an orbital path, and means to rotate said supporting means and container end over end in a plane substantially radial With respect to said orbital path.

, 4. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a container supporting element, means on said member to support said element for rotary movement ina plane substantially radial with respect to said rotary member, means to move said element end over end in said plane during a portion of its movement with said rotary member, and means to hold said element stationary upon said rotary member during the remaining portion of the movement of the latter.

l 5. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a container supporting element, means on said member tosupport said element for movement in a plane substantially radial with respect to said rotary member, means to move said element in said plane throughout the greater portion of its movement with said rotary member so as to continuously agitate the contents of a container carried by said container supporting element, and means to hold said element stationary upon said rotary member during a minor portion of the movement of the latter.

6. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a containersupporting element, means on said member to support said element for movement in a plane substantially radial withy respect to said` member, means to4 move said element `in said' vcontainer comprising a rotary member, a con` tainer supporting element journaled on said member for end over end rotation-in a plane substantiallyradial with respectto said member,

means to move said element in said plane, and means to render said last-named means ineffective'at a predeterminedpoint in the travel of said member.

8. An apparatus for mixing the contentsof a container comprising a support, a gear xed to said support, a rotary member journaled upon said support, a container supporting element carried by said member and journaled for movement in a plane substantially radial -with respect to said member, gear means engaging said fixed gear to rotate said element, said gear means including a clutch element to cause said supporting element to be disengaged from driving relation with said stationary gear during a portion of the path of movement of Vsaid-rotary member, and means to operate said clutch element.

9. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a support, a rotary member journaled on said support, a-container supporting element journaled on said memberA for movement in a plane substantially radial with respect to said member, a gear member fixed to said support, a second gear meshing with said gear member, means'to operatively connectsaid second gear to said supporting element during a portion of the movement of said rotary mem- .ber, and means to disconnect said second gear from operation of said element during another portion of the movement of said rotary member.

l0. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a support, a rotary member journaled on said support, a container supporting element journaled on said member for movement in a plane substantially radial with respect to said member, a gear member fixed to said support, a shaft journaled in said rotary member and operatively connected to said supporting element, a second gear mounted on said shaft, means to operatively connect said second gear to said shaft during a portion of the movement of said rotary member, and means to disconnect said gear from operation of said shaft during another portion of the movement of said rotary member.

11. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a plurality of container supporting elements journaled in circumferential series on said memberfor end over end rotation in planes radial with respect to said member, adjacent elements being spaced apart and arranged to be positioned at different angular phases in their respective planes of movement, and means to rotate said member and elements..

12. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a plurality of container supporting elements journalled in circumferential series on said member for rotation in planes radial with respect to said member, adjacent elements being spaced apart and arranged to be positioned at different angular phases in their respective planes of movement, means to move said elements end over end in their planes during a portion of their movement with said rotary member, and means to holdsaid elementsvstationary during the remaining portion of the movement of said rotary member.

13. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a support, a rotary table, a plurality of vertical brackets carried by said table, container supporting platforms journaled in said brackets on a horizontal axis, vertical shafts journaled in said table and operatively connected to said platforms, a iixed gear member carried byvsaid support, a gear carried by each oi said vertical shafts and meshing with said gear member, a clutch member interposed between said last-named gear and said vertical shaft kand adapted to operatively connectsaid gear to said vertical' shaft during a portion of the movement of said table; and means to operate said clutch member.

14. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a ber and journaled for turning movement thereon, means to turn said supporting element during a predetermined portion of the movement of said rotary member, automatic trip means to render said last-named means ineiective, and guiding means adapted to thereafter control the position of said supporting element, said guiding means being engaged by said supporting element prior to the operation of said trip means.

16. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotarymember, a container supporting element, means on said member to support said element for movement in a plane substantially radial with respect to said member, means to move said element end over end insaid plane during a. portion of its movement with said rotary member, means to hold said element stationary upon said rotary member during the remaining portion of the movement of the latter, and means to deliver and move the containers from said element during the last mentioned portion of the movement of said rotary member.

17. In an apparatus of the class described, a rotary member, a container supporting element journaled on said member for rotation in a plane substantially radial withrespect to said member. means to move said element end over end in said plane during a portion of its movement with said rotary member, and means to hold said element stationary upon said rotary member during the remaining portion of the movement of the latter.

18. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a container supporting element carried by said member and journaled for e'nd over end turning movement thereon in a plane substantially radial with respect to said rotary member, means to turn said supporting element in said plane during a portionof the movement of the latter, said container supporting element including clamping means adapted to hold a container upon said supporting element during said portion of the movement of said rotary member, and means to render said clamping means inoperative during the remaining portion of the movement of said rotary member.

19. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a container supporting element carried by said member and journaled for end over end turning movement thereon in a plane substantially radial with respect to said rotary member, means to turn said supporting element in said plane during a portion of the movement of the latter, said container supporting element including clamping means to hold a container upon said supporting element durlnglsaid portion of the movement of said rotary member, means to hold said supporting element stationary upon said rotary member during the remaining portion of the movement of the latter, means to render said clamping means ineiective during the last mentioned movement, and means to deliver and remove containers from said element during the last mentioned portion of the movement of said rotary member.

20. An apparatus for mixing the contents of acontainer comprising a rotary member, a container supporting element, means on said member to support said element for orbital movement in a vertical plane substantially radial with respect to said rotary member, spaced means to deliver and remove containers from said element, means to move said element end over end in said vertical plane during movement between said delivery and discharge means, and means to hold said element 22. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a support, a gear fixed to said support, a rotary member journaled upon said support, a container supporting element car ried by said member and journaled for movement in a plane substantially radial with respect to said member, gear means engaging said fixed gear to rotate said element, saidgear including a toothed portion arranged to rotate said gear means during its engagement therewith, and a non-toothed portion past which said gear means will move Without being rotated.

23. An apparatus forxmixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a vcontainer supporting element, means on' said member to support said element for rotary movement in a plane substantially radial with respect to said rotary member, a driving element including a non-driving portion, said rotary member being movable with respect to said driving element,

. and means operatively connected with said container supporting element positioned to cooperate with said drivingelement.

24. An apparatus for mixing `the contents of a filled container including a rotatable member,v

means for continuously rotating said member, means on the member rotatable therewith for engaging and clamping containers positioned thereon, means for automatically operating said clamping means, as the member rotates, to grip the containers positioned thereon, and means for repeatedly moving about axes transverse to planes radial with respect to said rotatable member the clamping meansand containers clamped thereby, as they rotate with the member, to tilt and upright the containers repeatedly in planes radial with `respect to said member and thereby cause endwise ilow of the container contents.

25. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a filled container including a rotatable member, means for continuously rotating said member, means on the member rotatable therewith for engaging and clamping the ends of upright containers positioned thereon, means for automati- -cally operating said clamping means, asy the dial lwith respect to the member, as they rotate member rotates, to grip the containers positioned thereon, and means for repeatedly moving the clamping means about an axis substantially transverse to a planexradial with respect to said member andwhereby to move thecontainers clamped thereby in a direction substantially ra- With the member, through an arc suiiicient to mix the container contents.

26. An apparatus for mixing the contents of -a container 4including a continuously rotatingmember, means to support a container uponv said member, and means to rotate said supporting means and container end over end continuously about an axis substantially transverse to a plane radial with respect to said member for a plural-- ity of complete rotations and through a m` jor portion of the path of travel of the conta ner with said rotating member, whereby to constantly movement with respect to said member.

27. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a containercomprising a rotary `member, a container supporting element, means on said member to Asupport said element for rotary movement on an axis substantially transverse to a plane radial with respect to said rotary member, means to move said element end overend continuously for a plurality of complete rotations thereof and through the major portion of its path of movement with said rotary member, whereby to constantly agitate the container contents throughout its movement with respect to said member and means to hold said element stationary upon said rotary member during the remainder of Iits travel with said member.

28. An apparatus for mixing the contents oi` a container comprising a rotary member, a container supporting element, means on said member to support said element for rotary movement in a plane radial with respect to said rotary member, means to move said element continuously end over end in the same direction for a plurality of complete rotations thereof and through the major portion of its path of movement with 'agitate the container contents throughout its l said rotary member, and means to hold said element stationary upon said rotary member 4during the remainder of its travel with said member.

29. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a rotary member, a con- 4`tainer supporting element, means on Vsaid member to support said element for rotary movement on an axis substantially transverse to a plane radial with respect to said rotary member, means to m'ove said element end over end continuously in a plane radial with respect to saidk rotary member for a pluralityv of complete rotations thereof and during the major portion of a complete rotation of said rotary member, means to hold said element stationary upon said rotary member during the remaining portion of a complete rotation of the latter, and means to deliver and remove containers from said element during the lastmentionedv portion of the movement of saidV rotary member.

30. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a container comprising a support,ra rotary member journaled on said support, a container supporting element journaled on said member, a gear member xed to said support,`a second gear meshing with said gear member, means to operatively connect said second gear to said supporting element during a portion of the movement of said rotary member to cause said supporting element to be continuously rotated end over end for a plurality of rotations, and means I to disconnect said second gear from operation of said element during another portion of the movement of said rotary member.

31. An apparatus for mixingthe contents of a containercomprising va rotary member, a container supporting element, means on said member to support said element for rotary movement about an axis substantially transverse to a plane.

to cooperate with said driving element to repeatedly tilt and upright said container supporting element while moving over, the driving portion of said driving element.

32. An apparatus for mixing .the contents of a filled container comprising a. rotatable member, means for continuously rotating 'said member, a plurality of bottle supports mounted on said member on axessubstantially transverse to planes radial with respect to said rotatable member, each support having a platform for supporting a `bottle, a vertically extending stem at right angles to the platform, a clamping arm at the upper end of said stem for engaging a bottle on 4 the platform, a spring associated with said arm and urging the arm to clamping position, a cam stationarily mounted relatively to saidl table, means associated with said arm and engageable with the cam to move said arm to non-clamping position during a portion of the movement of said member, means for moving said supports in vertical planes about said axes'to repeatedly tilt and upright the clamped containers substantially 'throughout the rotation of said member.

on said members, each support having means for clamping a container, means for swinging the supports and containers clamped thereby in vertical planes radial with respect to said member as the member rotates and to repeatedly tilt and upright the containers in planes radial with respect to said member, means for maintaining the supports stationary relativev to said member during a portion of the travel of the latter, and

means for rendering said clamping means inoperative during said portion of travel of said member.

35. An apparatus for mixing ,the contents of a filled container comprising a rotatable member, means for continuously rotating said member, a. plurality of supports for iilled containers on said members, each support having means for clamping a container, means for swinging the supports'and containers clamped thereby in vertical planes about horizontal axes substantially transverse to planes radial with respect to said rotatable memberas the member rotates and to repeatedly tilt and upright the containers in planes radial with respect to said member, means for-maintaining the supports stationary relative to said member during a portion of the travel of the latter, means for rendering said clamping means inoperative during said portion of travel of said member, and means for trans- Ierring containers to and from said supports during said portion of travel of said member.

36. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a iilled container comprising a rotatable member,

means for continuously rotating said member, a plurality of supports forlled containers on said members, each support having means for clamping a container, means for swinging the supports and containers clamped thereby in vertical planes and about horizontal axes substantially transverse toplanes radial with respect to said rotatable member as the member rotates and to repeatedly tilt and upright the containers in planes radial with respect to said rotatable member, means `for maintaining the supports stationary relative to.

said member during a portion of the travel oi! the latter, means for rendering said clamping means inoperative during said portion of travel of said member, and means fortransferring containers to and from said supports during said portion of travel of said member, said last-mentioned means comprising an infeed wheel and an outfeed wheel disposed substantially side by side whereby the containers travel through an arc of substantially 360 on-said supports.

37. An apparatus for mixing the contents of a lled container comprising a rotary member, means for rotating said member on a substantiauy vertices axis, e. morality of nonne supports 20 on said member, each support having means for clamping a lled container, means'for moving each support about a horizontal Vaxis substantially transverse to a. plane radial with respect to said- I rotary member during the rotation of said member to repeatedly tilt and upright the containers in planes radial with respect to said rotatable member, means stationarily mounted relative to said member for holding said supports stationary" relative to said member and the clamping means in non-clamping' position during part of the path of travel of said member, and means for automatically feeding containers to said supports and for removing containers from said support while said supports are stationary.

38. An apparatusor mixing the contents of a. filled container comprising a rotary member, means for rotating said member on a substantially vertical axis, a plurality of bottle supports l on said member, each support having means for clamping a lled container, means for moving each support about a horizontal axis substantially transverse to a plane radial with respect to said rotary member during part of the path of travel of said member to repeatedly tilt and upright the containers in planes radial with respect to said rotary member, means stationarily mountedrela'- tive to said member for holding said supports stationary relative to said member and the clamping means in non-clamping position during part-I of the path of travel of said member, and means vfor automatically feeding containers to said supist ports and for removing containers from said support while said supports are stationary, said lastmentioned means comprisingva pair of dials dlsposed adjacent the'path of travel of the supports where the clamping means is maintained inoperative. Q

39. 'An apparatus as specified in claim 37 in which the rotating member is continuously driven and the supports are maintained substantially 'v horizontal while'stationary relative to said member whereby to receive and discharge containers in upright position.

40. An apparatus as specied which the rotating member is continuously driven and the supportsare maintained substantially in claim 3s in horizontal while stationary relative to said mem- .y

'ber wherebyto receive and discharge containers in upright position. ROBERT J.y STEWART. 

